Friday Email Bag

by Mickey Plyler - Radio Host - Fri Jan 09 09:47:35 GMT-04:00 2015

Friday Email Bag

Each Friday I publish your comments and answer your questions. To submit a comment or questions please email me at mickeyplyler@hotmail.com.

Mickey,

Mickey, read your blog on the B-ball team’s identity and the more I read about this team and watch them, what seems to be missing is leadership. Not sure if Rod HallRod Hall
Sr. Guard
#12 6-1, 205
Augusta, GA
View Full Profile is the right person, but this team needs a spark. Coaching only goes so far, so which player is going to be the man and get in the face of those around him. I want to see someone get mad on a timeout when things are not going well. I want that person never to be satisfied. I assure you Danny FordDanny Ford
Former Head Coach
View Full Profile had those players, as does Dabo. Brownell needs to foster that.

Thanks

Stuart

Stuart,

I totally agree. Great point. The players need to take ownership in this basketball team. It happens to the best teams. Hopefully that will happen soon. I was encouraged with the effort at Louisville. Hopefully we will see more like this in the future.

Mickey,

During Coach Brownell's first year when he was coaching Purnell's players a Southern Conference coach told me that Clemson would not be very good when Brownell had his own players at Clemson. He basically said that he was recruiting Southern Conference type of talent. Unfortunately, it turns out that he was right. Coach Brownell may be a very good coach, but on the college level you have to recruit too. One of the reasons we can't recruit well is because our facilities aren't very good, but I bet that our facilities are as good as Winthrop's and Gardner Webb's. It looks like we are in for a painful future in men's basketball, especially after last year's contract extension and high buy out. I never understood that move. Why would we give someone such a high buyout clause if we fired him when he really hasn't accomplished anything impressive at Clemson?

Thanks!-David

David,

The one thing I agree with you about is the recruiting. The staff has its work cut out for them but recruiting has to improve. There is obviously a talent gap with Clemson and most of the ACC. The uphill battle they face on the court is a reflection of what they face in recruiting.

Mickey,

Sadly I think you hit the nail squarely on the head in your blog,"Long Winter" today. I am concerned our struggles will have a domino effect as fewer and fewer fans attend basketball games they believe we will lose. It is hard to win when you have no scorers and can't create points off turnovers.

Nonetheless, I wish you and Ryan a Happy New Year! Perhaps the baseball team will do well in 2015.

Kindest Regards,

Kirk

Kirk,

Thanks for the kind words. I too worry about attendance. They have to find a way to get the fans back invested in the program again. They had a lot of momentum at the end of last season and they need that kind of bond again. This programs needs to find a way to get the fan base back engaged in the program again. I think the effort in Louisville will help.

Mickey,

After a week's reflection, I still think my initial thought was that Clemson would prosper with the "new" play calling in the post Chad MorrisChad Morris
Offensive Coordinator / QBs
View Full Profile era and I am more convinced than before the bowl that this will be the case. Maybe the Sooners had all been to Mickey and Minnie World too many times as kids and were not excited about being in Orlando but count me in the group that did not miss Chad Morris calling plays. Chad Morris brought imagination but in terms of being able to design game plans and making in game adjustments, I do not think he was all that special. Hopefully, Clemson will not miss a beat with Coaches Elliott and Scott running the offense and hiring a QB coach in Brandon Streeter will be a great move. Time will tell.

As far as basketball goes, I wonder about the business decision of starting over with Littlejohn. This is a broken program and will spending untold millions of dollars on a gym for a bad team, change that fact. In The Field of Dreams, the field was built with the idea that people will come but does anyone honestly believe that will be the case with another fortune sunk into Littlejohn. Again, time will tell.

Andy

Andy,

I think Tony ElliottTony Elliott
Assistant Coach / Running Backs
View Full Profile will be very successful as the play caller at Clemson. He has really impressed a lot of people so far. I understand the halftime message was very effective and his game plan was excellent.

I have no idea how to fix the basketball program. Maybe the new building will be the spark for new success.

Mickey,

I am very thankful that Clemson has coaches and staff that are trying to lead and guide young men in the right way of life and prepare them for life and it is not a “win at all cost” attitude. Also that the coaches can and will discipline a player when he needs it without using a filthy mouth and regardless of what team we are playing next.

Jim

Jim,

There is little doubt that Coach Swinney is building a program the fans can be proud of. This program is successful in so many aspects. I think this momentum will continue in the near future.

The Brad Hughes All-State Insurance Agency

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